A Fighter Until The End
by Rowen Hashiba Of Tenku Co
Summary: Ten years after Talpa, tragedy strikes an already sorrowful Trooper..


A Fighter Until The End  
A Ronin Warriors Fan-Fic  
  
A/N: I'm back with another RW story!! ^_^ Rejoice! Anyway, I don't own RW or the song "Yume wa doko e itta (Where did the dream go?)" from the Tenchi Muyo! soundtrack.  
BTW, the fifth part of the story (not the song), first and second lines, was inspired by Gerald Morris' "The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady", which has got to be one of my favorite books. It was part of a conversation between Sir Gawain and King Arthur. "Is it foolish of me to love her (Guinivere)?" Arthur asks. "If so, then it is a divine foolishness." Gawain replies. That's it.  
NOTE: This takes place ten years after Talpa was defeated. Whee. Ryo, Sage, and Kento are 26, Rowen is 25, Cye is 27, and Mia would be 29. Hey, go figure.  
BTW, the excessive use of the words "because he missed her" was done on purpose. If ya' want to know why, either read the fic now or e-mail me at rowenhashiba@hotmail.com.  
  
  
  
----------  
dare ka ga MISAIRU tobashite  
subete ga owaru hi wo  
kokoromanchi ni shiteru you na  
kibun wa nan darou?  
----------  
  
He heard almost distantly the crush of autumn leaves underneath his sneakers as he walked, alone, amid the sakura trees, wishing that he was not alone. It was dark, almost night, and he could almost taste the sweet darkness falling all around him, as though giving him a comforting hug.  
Tears rolled down his cheeks freely, because he missed her.  
  
----------  
waruikoto nano ka soretomo  
kore ga futsuu nano ka  
hitori ja mou wakaranai yo  
dare ka oshiete kure!  
----------  
  
He walked on and on through the park, not noticing the tall sakura and oak trees around him, nor the biting wind that had begun to blow, despite that he was not wearing a jacket and his clothes held little protection from the cold. It didn't seem to bother him, because he missed her.  
  
----------  
soshite mata dai  
suki na ano hito ga  
tooku e itte shimatta  
yo dare ni mo kizukarezuni.  
----------  
  
He held in one tight fist a book, it's pages weathered and wrinkled with time. Her diary. He kept it always, because he missed her.  
  
----------  
yume wa arekara doko e itta no ka  
kono basho ni tashika  
mukashi atta hazu sa.  
----------  
  
In his heart, he knew that it was wrong to dwell on such things, and that he must live on, but he didn't want to, no matter how much he tried to tell himself that she would have wanted him too.  
She had been a fighter all of her life, she wasn't afraid of anything, and she had faught to her very grave; but in those last moments, that had been the first time that he had seen her afraid, ever. She had been terrified, nearly petrified, screaming deperately at him to get out of there.  
He knew that she wasn't as strong as she appeared, but he had always wanted to believe it, believe that there was nothing that could stop her, but she herself had proven him wrong.  
He kept her memory deep inside him, because he missed her.  
  
----------  
moe agaru you na  
ai datte atta  
ano koro no kimochi mou  
ichido torimododose!  
----------  
  
If love was divine, than was to love a person even in their death simply foolishness? If so, then it was a divine foolishness indeed, or at least he thought so.  
He wondered dimly when he would reach his destination, but he didn't really care that much about how long it took, as long as he got there.  
His breath hitched on a sob, and he stopped, for a moment reminiscing, because he missed her.  
  
----------  
anata no jidai wa yokatta  
yume ga afureteita  
kurushinde mo kizutsuite mo  
chigau asu ga atta.  
----------  
  
As he stood there, his tears flowing freely and eyes closed, he thought that he could at least for the moment forget her, but even as he had that thought, a memory of her came calling.  
The full moon rose and that was the only light left, for he was so far into the park that no lights found him.  
The darkness embraced him like an old friend, and he let it, for it reminded him of her, dark and beautiful.  
He allowed the gentle embrace of the night, because he missed her.  
  
----------  
kakegoe bakari de nani mo  
kawaranai yo no naka  
ashita kara mo kitto tsuzuku  
taikutsu na mainichi.  
----------  
  
He knew that he would have to act happy again once he returned, for his friends' sakes, but inside he was always sorrowful. If asked how he was, he always replied that he was fine, being strong and attempting life for her.  
He knew she wouldn't want him to be sad just because he missed her.  
  
----------  
sore yori mo...  
suki to sae ienakatta  
ano koi wa naze ima mo mada  
mune wo atsuku suru no ka?  
----------  
  
When finally he reached this dark destination that he held in his mind, second to thoughts of her, he gripped tighter in his hand the book which had once belonged to her.  
Above him a crow cawed loudly, and he sobbed, because he missed her.  
  
----------  
hate shinai yume wo  
torimodoshite mitai  
itsu no hi ka kanau mono  
to shinjita yume.  
----------  
  
Stepping forward into that place where the living had no control, he scanned faceless headstones for her name, searching for some sign of her in this place.  
His eyes caught and lingered on one stone, which bore the legend of a man called Anubis: "A good man, loyal ever to his cause, and moreso than that dedicated to his friends". He remembered when Cale had come up with that. Cale, who cared more about his friends than he cared to admit, who had finally broken down and cried the day that they buried her. He hadn't cried at Anubis' funeral, but he had sobbed for her.  
He sobbed too, because he missed her.  
  
----------  
dare ni demo atta kujikenai chikara  
mou ichido omoidashitai yo!  
----------  
  
His heart nearly stopped when he glimpsed the title on a nearly unnoticed tombstone, and fresh tears flowed down his cheeks. It read, simply: "Ryo Sanada, a great leader, and an even better friend". That heading had been Kento's idea, although the strong Ronin had burst into tears shortly after proclaiming it.  
He had been everyone's leader, and everyone's friend, killed in a car crash about a year ago. It had nearly broken the team then, but he himself had pulled them together, and they became a team once more.  
Ryo would have wanted me to be happy, he mused, but I can't, because I miss her.  
  
----------  
yume wa arekara doko e itta no ka  
kono basho ni tashika  
mukashi atta hazu sa.  
----------  
  
Finally he laid eyes on the tombstone that belonged to her, and knelt before it.  
When his sobs finally ceased, he looked to the sky, so dark now that the moon hid behind clouds.  
I will be happy, he promised silently, I'll be happy because you would want me to be happy.  
Finally, Rowen Hashiba stood and walked away from the tombstone that read:  
"Kayura Hashiba, a fighter until the end"  
  
----------  
moe agaru you na  
ai datte atta  
ano koro no kimochi mou  
ichido torimododose!  
----------  
  
  
  
A/N: Thanks for listening. I know it was kind of sad, but I really liked the ending. I know, I know, I write some demented stuff, but hey, don't blame me. Blame the muse (I have many) who came up with this. Her name is Meryl. Anyway, here are the English lyrics to "Where Did The Dream Go?" from the Tenchi Muyo! soundtrack. You've earned it.  
  
  
Where Did The Dream Go?  
Japanese Vocal by Yamamoto Linda  
  
It's like somebody launched a missile,  
the day that everything ends,  
is anxiously being brought about,  
what could this feeling be?  
  
Is it something bad  
or is this normal?  
By myself, I don't understand any of it!  
Somebody explain it to me!  
  
And then once again,  
that person that I loved so much,  
went somewhere far away!  
Without anyone even noticing.  
  
Where has the dream gone since then?  
I'm sure it must have been  
in this place for a very long time.  
  
Even though the love was like  
an all-consuming flame,  
the feelings I had at that time,  
bring them back again!  
  
The times with you were so nice,  
dreams were overflowing  
painful and hurtful,  
a different tomorrow is here.  
  
Just shouting, doesn't change  
anything in the world at large,  
after tomorrow, everyday tedium  
will surely continue.  
  
More importantly...  
even though "love" couldn't be said,  
why does that love, even now,  
still warm my heart?  
  
An endless dream  
that I want to try to get back,  
a dream that I believed was something  
that would someday come true.  
  
Everyone has enduring strength,  
I want to remember that again!  
  
Where has the dream gone since then?  
I'm sure it must have been  
in this place for a very long time.  
  
Even though the love was like  
an all-consuming flame,  
the feelings I had at that time,  
bring them back again! 


End file.
